Todd Maisel, NY Daily News/Todd Maisel, NY Daily News

If you're looking for beachy keen fun, Coney Island is where thousands love to make a big splash.

Surfs up! A whopping 16 million sunbathers swarmed the Big Apples 14 miles of free public beaches last summer, and the Parks Department expects nearly 20 million on the oceanside this season.

The beaches are more popular than ever, with a lot of people choosing to stay at home to avoid the high costs of gas and other forms of travel, says Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe.

The great thing about our beaches is that theyre free and theyre accessible by mass transit.

Theres something new at each of the borough branches this year, which are open daily from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. through Labor Day weekend.

And whether you want to catch some rays or some waves, the outer boroughs, and their cousins on Long Island and the Jersey Shore, boast some the best sandy strips around to whet any appetite.

o

BEST FOR: Hanging 10

ROCKAWAY BEACH, QUEENS

See original here:

Summer Guide 2012: Where to hit the beaches